The severe wind outbreak of May 4, 2021

554 wind reportsVirginia, Alabama, Mississippi and 15 more states

554 damaging wind reports across 18 states between 1:05 AM and 11:45 PM CDT, 35 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 89 mph in Louisa County, VA. 43 hail reports and 39 tornadoes the same day. The 21st-most wind reports of any day since 1955.

Watch the day unfold

Severe wind day · May 4, 2021

How the day unfolded

Every damaging wind report of the day at its logged time, with the day's hail reports and tornadoes, and the counties they reached.

About this replay

Central time—Historical replay — logged report times

Wind reports—of 554 that day

Strongest gust—measured, so far

Largest hail—so far

The day’s milestones

Wind reportsLarger and brighter with speed; filled when measured, a ring when estimated

Hail and tornadoesHail reports as diamonds; the day's tornado paths in green

Counties reportingLit at their first report, brighter with a 65-knot gust or 2-inch hail

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (wind, hail and tornado reports with their logged times and places). Each report is a damage or measurement report, not a separate storm; several can describe one gust front. Tornado paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Daylight Time.

The day in numbers

Wind reports: 554; 21st of 15,807 days with wind reports since 1955
75 mph or more: 35; 4 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
Strongest measured gust: 89 mph; 77 knots, Louisa County, VA
Measured: 28; reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
Killed by wind: 2; 7 injured
Counties reporting: 270; in 18 states

Hour by hour

Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.

The strongest winds

The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.

Strongest wind reports, May 4, 2021

4:11 AM	Calloway County KY	96 mph	83	Estimated	0
1:49 AM	Lawrence County AR	92 mph	80	Estimated	0
3:48 PM	Louisa County VA	89 mph	77	Measured	0
1:51 AM	Randolph County AR	86 mph	75	Estimated	0
2:15 AM	Greene County AR	85 mph	74	Estimated	0
3:49 AM	Weakley County TN	85 mph	74	Estimated	1
4:08 AM	Calloway County KY	85 mph	74	Estimated	0
1:42 PM	Leflore County MS	85 mph	74	Estimated	0
1:49 AM	Lawrence County AR	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
2:05 AM	Garland County AR	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
2:10 AM	Saline County AR	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
2:50 AM	Pemiscot County MO	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:20 AM	Obion County TN	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:30 AM	Obion County TN	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:35 AM	Obion County TN	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
6:41 AM	Trousdale County TN	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:00 PM	Lexington County SC	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:10 PM	Richland County SC	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
3:43 PM	Lauderdale County MS	81 mph	70	Estimated	0
2:38 AM	Dunklin County MO	75 mph	65	Measured	0
3:40 PM	Neshoba County MS	75 mph	65	Measured	0
1:48 AM	Hot Spring County AR	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
2:15 AM	Saline County AR	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
3:35 AM	Obion County TN	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
3:40 AM	Obion County TN	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
4:01 AM	Graves County KY	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
8:03 AM	White County TN	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
1:54 PM	Bedford County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
2:03 PM	Grenada County MS	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
3:29 PM	Fairfield County SC	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
6:13 PM	Lancaster County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
6:15 PM	Lancaster County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
6:18 PM	Lancaster County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
6:19 PM	Lancaster County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
6:24 PM	Lancaster County VA	75 mph	65	Estimated	0
3:35 PM	Fairfield County SC	72 mph	63	Measured	0
3:55 PM	Louisa County VA	72 mph	63	Measured	0
1:47 AM	Garland County AR	71 mph	62	Measured	0
8:13 PM	Clay County GA	70 mph	61	Measured	0
1:21 AM	Independence County AR	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
1:29 AM	Randolph County AR	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
1:37 AM	Pike County AR	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
1:50 AM	Lawrence County AR	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
2:17 AM	Greene County AR	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
2:43 AM	New Madrid County MO	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
2:55 AM	Pemiscot County MO	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
3:15 AM	Obion County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
3:30 AM	Obion County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
3:40 AM	Obion County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
3:45 AM	Weakley County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
4:20 AM	Henry County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
4:20 AM	Henry County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
4:40 AM	Trigg County KY	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
5:19 AM	Montgomery County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
6:45 AM	Trousdale County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
7:19 AM	Bedford County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
7:22 AM	Bedford County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
7:24 AM	Bedford County TN	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
12:05 PM	De Soto Parish LA	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
12:11 PM	Natchitoches Parish LA	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
1:15 PM	Caldwell Parish LA	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
4:03 PM	Clarke County MS	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
7:20 PM	Covington County AL	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
11:45 PM	Butler County AL	70 mph	61	Estimated	0
2:00 AM	Poinsett County AR	69 mph	60	Measured	0
1:10 PM	Bolivar County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
1:21 PM	Richland Parish LA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
1:37 PM	Shenandoah County VA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
1:40 PM	Botetourt County VA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
1:57 PM	Bedford County VA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:11 PM	Warren County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:13 PM	Warren County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:14 PM	Yazoo County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:14 PM	Claiborne County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:23 PM	Claiborne County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:23 PM	Hinds County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:25 PM	Yazoo County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:27 PM	Madison County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
2:49 PM	Rankin County MS	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
3:02 PM	Lexington County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
3:14 PM	Albemarle County VA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
3:18 PM	Richland County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
3:30 PM	Aiken County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
3:32 PM	Fairfield County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
4:43 PM	King George County VA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
4:55 PM	Hale County AL	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:00 PM	Hale County AL	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:01 PM	Hale County AL	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:05 PM	St. Mary's County MD	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:08 PM	Richland County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:09 PM	Richland County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
5:55 PM	Orangeburg County SC	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
10:25 PM	Cook County GA	69 mph	60	Estimated	0
4:59 PM	Charles County MD	67 mph	58	Measured	0
5:50 PM	Clarke County AL	67 mph	58	Measured	0
1:17 PM	Bolivar County MS	66 mph	57	Estimated	0
3:12 PM	Lexington County SC	64 mph	56	Measured	0
1:18 AM	Wood County TX	64 mph	56	Estimated	0
2:05 AM	Ripley County MO	64 mph	56	Estimated	0
3:05 AM	Stoddard County MO	64 mph	56	Estimated	0

By state

Severe weather reports by state, May 4, 2021

Virginia	121	89 mph	4	1.50
Alabama	84	67 mph	3	1.25
Mississippi	75	75 mph	6	1.75
Georgia	60	70 mph	0	—
Tennessee	51	—	4	1.00
Louisiana	38	—	1	0.88
South Carolina	38	72 mph	1	1.25
Arkansas	33	71 mph	4	1.00
North Carolina	16	—	2	1.00
Missouri	13	75 mph	0	—
Kentucky	8	—	4	0.75
Maryland	6	67 mph	0	—
District of Columbia	3	—	0	—
Florida	3	—	0	—
Texas	2	—	12	1.75
Oklahoma	1	—	2	3.61
Delaware	1	—	0	—
West Virginia	1	—	0	—

Counties with the most wind reports

Colleton CountySC · 13 reports
Clarke CountyAL · 10 reports
Louisa CountyVA · 9 reports
Obion CountyTN · 8 reports
Dougherty CountyGA · 8 reports
Roanoke CountyVA · 7 reports
Jackson CountyAL · 7 reports
Albemarle CountyVA · 5 reports
Turner CountyGA · 5 reports
Nelson CountyVA · 5 reports

Hail and tornadoes that day

43 hail reports, 1 of 2 inches or more; 39 tornadoes.

Largest hail, May 4, 2021

1:15 AM	Murray County OK	3.61
1:20 AM	Murray County OK	1.80
7:25 AM	Caldwell County TX	1.75
1:40 PM	Sharkey County MS	1.75
6:52 AM	Caldwell County TX	1.50
7:30 AM	Bastrop County TX	1.50
1:48 PM	Augusta County VA	1.50
7:55 AM	Bastrop County TX	1.25
8:05 AM	Copiah County MS	1.25
1:29 PM	Cleburne County AL	1.25
3:33 PM	Berkeley County SC	1.25
1:55 AM	Clay County TN	1.00
2:25 AM	Faulkner County AR	1.00
2:35 AM	Craighead County AR	1.00
5:15 AM	Blount County TN	1.00
6:47 AM	Hays County TX	1.00
10:05 AM	Choctaw County MS	1.00
10:13 AM	Caldwell County TX	1.00
11:00 AM	Walker County AL	1.00
1:03 PM	Copiah County MS	1.00
1:46 PM	Carroll County MS	1.00
1:49 PM	Shenandoah County VA	1.00
2:12 PM	Page County VA	1.00
2:26 PM	Guilford County NC	1.00
2:45 PM	Benton County MS	1.00
4:15 PM	Colbert County AL	1.00
1:12 AM	Smith County TX	0.88
1:20 AM	Clay County AR	0.88
3:18 AM	Overton County TN	0.88
7:15 AM	Travis County TX	0.88
7:25 AM	Travis County TX	0.88
7:30 AM	Bastrop County TX	0.88
7:32 AM	Bastrop County TX	0.88
9:40 AM	Comal County TX	0.88
11:05 AM	Caddo Parish LA	0.88
2:19 PM	Bedford County VA	0.88
2:24 PM	Guilford County NC	0.88
1:50 AM	Fulton County KY	0.75
1:56 AM	Sharp County AR	0.75
2:55 AM	Christian County KY	0.75
3:00 AM	Calloway County KY	0.75
3:07 AM	Christian County KY	0.75
4:20 AM	Crockett County TN	0.75

EF0 tornado2:09 AM CDT
EF0 tornado2:55 AM CDT
EF1 tornado3:19 AM CDT
EF1 tornado3:23 AM CDT
EF1 tornado3:31 AM CDT
EF2 tornado3:33 AM CDT
EF1 tornado3:55 AM CDT
EF1 tornado3:59 AM CDT
EF0 tornado4:35 AM CDT
EF0 tornado5:12 AM CDT
EF0 tornado5:54 AM CDT
EF0 tornado5:56 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:01 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:02 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:03 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:10 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:21 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:31 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:38 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:54 AM CDT
EF0 tornado6:56 AM CDT
EF0 tornado7:20 AM CDT
EF0 tornado7:43 AM CDT
EF0 tornado8:07 AM CDT
EF1 tornado9:01 AM CDT
EF0 tornado9:44 AM CDT
EF0 tornado12:21 PM CDT
EF0 tornado1:13 PM CDT
EF1 tornado1:51 PM CDT
EF1 tornado1:59 PM CDT
EF0 tornado2:22 PM CDT
EF1 tornado2:24 PM CDT
EF1 tornado3:06 PM CDT
EF1 tornado3:23 PM CDT
EF1 tornado3:43 PM CDT
EF1 tornado4:08 PM CDT
EF0 tornado5:19 PM CDT
EF1 tornado6:17 PM CDT
EF0 tornado6:46 PM CDT

2021 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days

A report is a single damage or measurement report to the National Weather Service. Several reports can describe one gust front, so reports are not storms.
Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
Thunderstorm wind reports start at 50 knots (58 mph). SPC began flagging measured against estimated speeds in 2006; earlier reports are shown as estimated.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1955 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; a severe wind day here has 300 or more damaging wind reports, or 15 or more of 75 knots (86 mph) or more.